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Maryland Probate vs Living Trust Calculator

Compare what Maryland probate would actually cost your estate — the statutory PR commission plus attorney fees — against the typical cost of a living trust.

Probate side: Est. & Trusts 7-601 FigureMyTax Editorial Team Free · no sign-up

By the FigureMyTax Editorial Team · How we calculate

Your Maryland estate

Enter your estate value — we'll estimate Maryland probate cost and compare it to a typical trust setup cost.

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Estimated Maryland probate cost vs trust setup
Probate (estimated)
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Living trust setup
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Maryland probate cost vs living trust cost

The probate side of this comparison reuses the same approach as the Maryland Probate Cost Calculator: the statutory PR commission under Est. & Trusts 7-601 caps at 9% of the first $20,000 plus 3.6% of the excess, on top of a separate attorney fee under the § 7-602 "fair and reasonable" standard and a scaled Register of Wills probate fee. On a $500,000 estate the PR commission alone runs roughly $19,080. The trust side is market data, not a statutory figure: Maryland attorneys typically charge roughly $1,200–$6,375 for a revocable living trust. See the full breakdown in Maryland Living Trust Setup Cost.

Maryland adds one more wrinkle worth knowing: it's the only state with both a state estate tax (above a $5,000,000 exemption) and a separate 10% inheritance tax on assets passing to non-close relatives. Neither tax is included in the probate estimate above — see the Cost Calculator for that layer.

Maryland probate vs living trust — frequently asked questions

Is a living trust worth it in Maryland?

Often, yes, especially for estates passing to non-close relatives. Maryland is the only state with both a state estate tax and a separate 10% inheritance tax on non-exempt heirs, and probate itself carries a statutory PR commission on top of attorney fees — all of which a properly funded trust can reduce or avoid for the assets it holds.

How much does Maryland probate cost compared to a living trust?

On a $500,000 estate, the statutory PR commission under Est. & Trusts § 7-601 runs roughly $19,080, plus a separate "fair and reasonable" attorney fee and Register of Wills probate fee. A Maryland living trust typically costs roughly $1,200–$6,375 to set up with an attorney.

Does a Maryland living trust avoid the inheritance tax too?

No — Maryland's 10% inheritance tax generally applies based on who inherits an asset, not how it's transferred, so it can still apply to trust assets passing to non-exempt heirs. A trust mainly helps with probate cost, delay, and privacy, not with escaping the inheritance tax itself.

Maryland living trust tools & guides

Maryland Living Trust Setup CostThe market-rate breakdown Is a Living Trust Worth It in Maryland?A decision framework Maryland Living Trust Funding MistakesWhy trusts still fail to avoid probate Maryland Probate Cost CalculatorIncluding the estate + inheritance tax layer Maryland Probate Timeline CalculatorHow long probate would take

This calculator provides an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal or financial advice. Probate-side figures are based on Maryland statute (Est. & Trusts § 7-601). Trust-side figures are illustrative market rates, not a legal or statutory amount, and vary by attorney and estate complexity. Confirm current figures with a licensed Maryland estate planning attorney before acting.